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P4
The Rover P4 series is a group of mid-size luxury saloon automobiles made by the Rover Company from 1949 until 1964. They were designed by Gordon Bashford. Their P4 designation is factory terminology for this group of cars and was not in day-to-day use by ordinary owners who would have used the appropriate consumer designations for their models such as Rover 60, Rover 75 and Rover 90. Production began in 1949 with the 6-cylinder 2.1-litre Rover 75. Four years later a 2-litre 4-cylinder Rover 60 was brought to the market to fit below the 75 and a 2.6-litre 6-cylinder Rover 90 to top the three car range. Variations followed. In profile not unlike a crouching sturdy British Bulldog these cars were very much part of British culture and became known as the "Auntie" Rovers. They were piloted by topmost royalty including Grace Kelly. The P4 series was supplemented in September 1958 by a new conservatively shaped Rover 3-litre P5 but the P4 series stayed in production until 1964 and their replacement by the Rover 2000. The earlier cars used a Rover engine from the 1948 Rover 75 which had, like its contemporary Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn, overhead valves for inlet and side valves for exhaust. A four-speed manual transmission was used with a column-mounted shifter at first and floor-mounted unit from September 1953. At first the gearbox only hadsynchromesh on third and top but it was added to second gear as well in 1953. A freewheel clutch, a traditional Rover feature, was fitted to cars without overdrive until mid-1959, when it was removed from the specifications, shortly before the London Motor Show in October that year. The cars had a separate chassis with independent suspension by coil springs at the front and a live axle with half-elliptical leaf springs at the rear. The brakes on early cars were operated by a hybrid hydro-mechanical system but became fully hydraulic in 1950. Girling disc brakes replaced drums at the front from October 1959. The complete body shells were made by the Pressed Steel company and featured aluminium/magnesium alloy (Birmabright) doors, boot lid and bonnets until the final 95/110 models, which were all steel to reduce costs. The P4 series was one of the last UK cars to incorporate rear-hinged "suicide" doors. 75 Announced by Mr S B Wilks, managing director, 23 September 1949 the new Rover 75 — now the only Rover in production — was first displayed at the opening day of the Earls Court Motor Show on 28 September. It featured controversial modern styling which contrasted with the outdated Rover 75 (P3) it replaced. Gone were the traditional radiator, separate headlamps and external running boards. In their place were a chromium grille, recessed headlamps and a streamlined body the whole width of the chassis. A steering column-mounted gear lever was fitted. The car's styling was derived from the controversial 1947 —is it coming or is it going?— Studebakers.To understand the controversy it should be noted that Rover's P3 had almost no boot at all yet that had been considered rather more than adequate. The new car's bonnet-like extension to its rear was ridiculed. Furthermore the driver sat well forward with a short bonnet and the rear wheels were set well back behind the back seat. All the new car's proportions were different from the previous Rover and all the other new English cars. Another, at the time minor, distinctive feature but this one did not catch-on was the centrally mounted light in the grille where most other manufacturers of good quality cars provided a pair, one fog and one driving light often separately mounted behind the bumper. Known as the "Cyclops eye" it was not continued in the new grille announced 23 October 1952. Power came from a more powerful version of the previous model's 2.1 L (2103 cc/128 in³) Rover IOE straight-6 engine now with chromium plated cylinder bores, an aluminium cylinder head with built-in induction manifold and a pair of horizontal instead of downdraught carburetters. A four-speed manual transmission was used with a column-mounted shifter which was replaced by a floor-mounted mechanism in September 1953. A car tested by The Motor magazine in 1949 had a top speed of 83.5 mph (134.4 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 21.6 seconds. A fuel consumption of 27.8 miles per imperial gallon (10.2 L/100 km; 23.1 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £1106 including taxes. The turning circle was 37 feet (11 m). ". . . and I honestly believe (barring the Rolls-Royce) that there is no finer car built in the world today." Bob Dearborn, Tester Road & Track. Road test no. F-4-52, August 1952. After four years of the one model policy Rover returned to a range of the one car but three different sized engines. In September 1953 it announced it would supply a four-cylinder Rover 60 and a 2.6-litre Rover 90 adding them to the 75's 2.1-litre six. Rover's stated intention was "to cater for a wider field of motorists who require a quality car with varying degrees of economical running costs and performance". On the same day there were modifications announced which were accordingly shared by all three: A curved central gear change lever. This was Rover's response to the dislike of many motorists for the steering column gear change with its complex linkages. The shape of the new lever still allowed three people to make use of the front bench seat. Parking lights were mounted on top of the front mudguards, the disused apertures below were used for reflectors — and later for traffic indicators. Rover also announced an all-round reduction in Rover and Land-Rover prices. This was a response to a slump in both home and export sales of all British cars. The 2.103 litres (128.3 cu in) IOE engine continued. An updated body for all Rovers was announced 7 October 1954 with major styling changes by David Bache * the boot was substantially enlarged by raising the car's hind-quarters * a broad three-piece wraparound rear window was provided * flashing orange direction indicator lights positioned at the front where there had been reflectors and in the redesigned rear light clusters replaced trafficators in the door pillars. At the same time Rover's chairman revealed a new factory was being built to double Land-Rover production. In September 1955 the choice of a different style of front seat, two individual seats independently adjustable, was made available on all three cars at extra cost. The line of the front mudguards "which", said The Times, "previously gave the car a somewhat blunt appearance" was re-arranged with the side lamps and flashing indicators in different positions. A small chrome reflector on the headlamp rim allowed the driver to know the side lights were functioning. Overdrive was made an option. These amendments were announced 11 September 1956. From this time the P4 series fell from concern as Rover worked towards the introduction of the 3-litre in September 1958 Production ended in 1959 with the introduction of the 100. 60 The Rover 60 was announced 24 September 1953 to add a more economical four-cylinder engine to Rover's range though leaving trim and equipment the same as the 75 and the new Rover 90 announced at the same time. Rover's idiosyncratic central gear change lever designed to allow three-abreast seating in front was used for this new car. Its 2.0 L (1997 cc/121 in³) 60 bhp (45 kW) engine had been used in the early Land Rover though it now had modifications including an SU carburettor. As the block was shorter than that of the 6-cylinder engine, it sat further back in the frame, and this is sometimes held to have resulted in better handling and compensated for the lack of power. The Rover 60 shared with the Rover 75 and Rover 90 the October 1954 modifications: a bigger boot, wide rear window and flashing directions indicators all announced at the Paris Motor Show. Independently adjustable separate front seats were made available at extra cost from September 1955. In the same way Rover 60 buyers were given the choice of a different style of front seat, two individual seats independently adjustable, available at extra cost from September 1955. Similarly in September 1956 the shape of the front mudguards was re-arranged with the side lamps and flashing indicators in different positions. A small chrome reflector on the headlamp rim allowed the driver to know the side lights were functioning. Overdrive was made an option. In their test of the Sixty in 1954 The Motor magazine recorded a top speed of 76.0 mph (122.3 km/h) and acceleration from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) of 26.5 seconds. A fuel consumption of 25.8 miles per imperial gallon (10.9 L/100 km; 21.5 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £1162 including taxes. The Rover 60 was replaced by the Rover 80 which used an updated version of the overhead-valve 2286 cc (138 in³) four used in the Land Rover of that time. The Rover 80 was announced 24 October 1959. 90 The top-end Rover 90 appeared with a much larger more powerful 2.6 litres (160 cu in) six at the same time, 24 September 1953 as the four-cylinder Rover 60 was introduced. Rover's idiosyncratic central gear change lever designed to allow three-abreast seating in front was used for this new car. This engine produced 90 hp (67 kW) and could propel the car to reach 90 mph (145 km/h). Rover's stated intention was to cater for a wider field of motorists requiring varying degrees of performance and running costs. The Rover 90 shared with the Rover 60 and Rover 75 the October 1954 modifications: a bigger boot, wide rear window and flashing directions indicators all announced at the Paris Motor Show. Independently adjustable separate front seats were made available at extra cost from September 1955. At the same time the engine's compression ratio was increased, free-wheel dropped and Laycock de Normanville electric overdrive made available. More sensitive power brakes were provided of a re-designed pattern. Similarly in September 1956 the shape of the front mudguards was re-arranged with the side lamps and flashing indicators in different positions. A small chrome reflector on the headlamp rim allowed the driver to know the side lights were functioning. Testing the Ninety in 1954 The Motor magazine recorded a top speed of 90.0 mph (144.8 km/h) and acceleration from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) of 18.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 20.3 miles per imperial gallon (13.9 L/100 km; 16.9 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £1297 including taxes. An owner of a Ninety at the time noted that although the suspension was very soft and comfortable on a straight road, on bends the car would "wallow" over and made one feel a bit queasy. Also as the engine was so quiet when waiting at traffic lights one sometimes wondered if it had stopped. When it was replaced by the Rover 100 in October 1959, 35,903 had been produced, making the Rover 90 the most popular car of the P4 series. 80 This four-cylinder 80 was announced on 24 October 1959. It was half Rover's new range of just two models the other a new Rover 100. The 80 engine was a new Land Rover-derived straight-4 overhead-valve engine displacing''2.3 litres (140 cu in)'' entirely different from the units used in all the other models. With 80 hp (59 kW) available, the car could top 85 mph (137 km/h). Girling 10.8 inches (270 mm) vacuum servo-assisted disc brakes at the front were new, and the car used wider tyres and had updated styling. Overdrive, operating on top gear only, was standard on the four-speed transmission. Options included a radio, two tone paint schemes, and either a bench or individual front seats. These options also apply to the 100 (see below). The four-cylinder cars were never popular, and just 5,900 had been built when, after 3 years, production ended. Its place was taken by the new Rover 95 announced September 1962. The Motor magazine tested an 80 in 1961 and recorded a top speed of 82.9 miles per hour (133.4 km/h) and acceleration from 0–60 miles per hour (97 km/h) of 22.4 seconds. A fuel consumption of 23.5 miles per imperial gallon (12.0 L/100 km; 19.6 mpg-US) was found. The test car cost £1396 including taxes of £411. See Also: 2000/P6, P5, P3 Category:Rover Category:Rover P Series